Falcons To Send Four To NCAA Regionals
May 16, 2019 | Women's Track and Field
Indianapolis, Ind. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced today the qualifiers for the regional round of track and field competition. Bowling Green will send four competitors to the NCAA East Region Preliminary Round in six events with an opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. The regional will take place in Jacksonville, Fla., hosted by North Florida, May 23-25.
In each of the events, 48 competitors qualify for the East regional. The top 12 finishers will join the top 12 finishers from the West regional for a field of 24 at the national championships. The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will take place June 6-8 in Austin, Texas, hosted by the University of Texas.
A year ago, redshirt senior Aliyah Gustafson became just the second student-athlete in program history to qualify for regionals in three events, doing so in the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She was ranked high enough to qualify in all three events again this year, but chose to focus on just shot put and discus. She is a heavy favorite to advance to the outdoor national championships in the shot put for a third time, entering the meet seeded No. 4. She is also seeded No. 41 in discus.
Gustafson qualified for the outdoor national championships in the shot put in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, she finished 24th at the meet and followed that up with a 15th place finish last year. During the indoor track and field season, she has qualified two more times to the national championships, placing 10th in 2018 and then most recently finishing seventh back in March.
Redshirt sophomore Kaila Butler, who recently earned a spot on Team Canada for the World University Games, will compete as the No. 11 seed in the hammer throw.
Redshirt freshman Zaresha Neal qualified for the regional meet in two events – the discus and shot put. She is the No. 26 seed in the discus and the No. 32 seed in the shot put.
Finally, junior Chasatea Brown became the first BGSU hurdler to qualify for regional competition since Brittany Sinclair in 2015. Brown is the No. 40 seed in the 400 hurdles after breaking the 60 second barrier for the first time at the MAC Championships a week ago.
Under eighth-year coach Lou Snelling, the Falcons have sent 26 representatives to the regionals in the past seven years. Student-athletes have equaled or better their seeds in 23 of those 26 appearances (88 percent).
THURSDAY, MAY 23
4:00 pm – Hammer throw (Kaila Butler)
4:30 pm – 400 Hurdles First Round (Chasatea Brown)
FRIDAY, MAY 24
12:00 pm – Discus (Zaresha Neal, Aliyah Gustafson)
7:00 pm – 400 Hurdles Quarterfinals (Chasatea Brown)
SATURDAY, MAY 25
5:15 pm – Shot put (Aliyah Gustafson, Zaresha Neal)
ALIYAH GUSTAFSON
Aliyah Gustafson is concluding one of the most impressive careers in BGSU Track and Field history over the course of the next month, breaking the school record in the shot put multiple times and ranking second in program history in both the hammer throw and discus. She has won six MAC Championships total (three in shot put during outdoor season, two in shot put during indoor, one in weight throw during indoor) and was a first-team All-American in the shot put during the 2019 indoor season.
HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
SHOT PUT
In the East region preliminary round, the shot put will be broken up into four flights of 12 competitors (top 12 in flight four, seeds 13-24 in flight three, seeds 25-36 in flight two, seeds 37-48 in flight one). Flights one and two will compete simultaneously on separate, but similar, competition venues, followed by flights three and four doing the same. Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
DISCUS
In the East region preliminary round, the discus will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
GUSTAFSON'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
Shot put – 2016, 12th place (53-0.75 / 16.17m)
Shot put – 2017, 39th place (48-0 / 14.63m)
Shot put – 2018, 3rd place (57-2.75 / 17.44m)
Discus – 2018, 35th place (154-4 / 47.04m)
Hammer – 2018, 13th place (197-5 / 60.19m)
NUMBERS TO KNOW
SHOT PUT
Date/Time of Competition – Saturday, May 25 / 5:15 pm
Gustafson's Seed - 4
Gustafson's Season-Best Mark – 56-7.5 / 17.26m
Gustafson's Career-Best Mark – 57-5.75 / 17.52m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 52-9.5 / 16.09m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 16.71m
DISCUS
Date/Time of Competition – Friday, May 24 / 12:00 pm
Gustafson's Seed - 41
Gustafson's Season-Best Mark – 164-6 / 50.14m
Gustafson's Career-Best Mark – 171-11 / 52.42m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 167-1 / 50.92m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 54.71m
KAILA BUTLER
Redshirt sophomore Kaila Butler had a dominant year in the hammer throw, winning the MAC Championship in impressive fashion and being ranked among the top 20 in the country throughout the entirety of the season. Despite making her first NCAA Regional appearance, she will be a favorite to advance through Jacksonville to the NCAA National Championships.
HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
HAMMER THROW
In the East region preliminary round, the hammer throw will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
BUTLER'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Date/Time of Competition – Thursday, May 23 / 4:00 pm
Butler's Seed - 11
Butler's Career and Season-Best Mark – 213-0 / 64.92m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 198-3 / 60.42m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 64.53m
ZARESHA NEAL
Redshirt freshman Zaresha Neal had an impressive first outdoor season in 2019, placing fourth in discus and fifth in shot put at the MAC Championships. She will make her first NCAA regional appearance, competing in two events.
HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
DISCUS
In the East region preliminary round, the discus will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
SHOT PUT
In the East region preliminary round, the shot put will be broken up into four flights of 12 competitors (top 12 in flight four, seeds 13-24 in flight three, seeds 25-36 in flight two, seeds 37-48 in flight one). Flights one and two will compete simultaneously on separate, but similar, competition venues, followed by flights three and four doing the same. Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
NEAL'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
DISCUS
Date/Time of Competition – Friday, May 24 / 12:00 pm
Neal's Seed - 26
Neal's Career and Season-Best Mark – 171-4 / 52.23m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 167-1 / 50.92m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 54.71m
SHOT PUT
Date/Time of Competition – Saturday, May 25 / 5:15 pm
Neal's Seed - 32
Neal's Career and Season-Best Mark – 51-7 / 15.72m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 52-9.5 / 16.09m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 16.71m
CHASATEA BROWN
Junior Chasatea Brown broke the 60-second barrier in the 400 hurdles for the first time in her career during the finals of the event at the MAC Championships to place fourth overall. With that time, she earned qualification to the NCAA regional. She is the second-fastest Falcon in program history in the event and will make her first regional appearance.
HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
400 HURDLES
The field of 48 will be broken up into six heats of eight competitors each. The top three in each heat, plus the next six fastest times will narrow the field to 24 for the quarterfinals – also to be contested at regionals. The remaining field of 24 will be broken into three heats of eight competitors each and the top three finishers in each heat, plus the next three fastest times, will move on to the NCAA National Championships.
BROWN'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Date/Time of First Round – Thursday, May 23 / 4:30 pm
Date/Time of Quarterfinals – Friday, May 24 / 7:00 pm
Brown's Seed - 40
Brown's Career and Season-Best Time – 59.73
2018 Quarterfinal Qualifying Time – 58.70
2018 National Qualifying Time – 57.52
2019 No. 12 Seed Time – 57.87
In each of the events, 48 competitors qualify for the East regional. The top 12 finishers will join the top 12 finishers from the West regional for a field of 24 at the national championships. The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will take place June 6-8 in Austin, Texas, hosted by the University of Texas.
A year ago, redshirt senior Aliyah Gustafson became just the second student-athlete in program history to qualify for regionals in three events, doing so in the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She was ranked high enough to qualify in all three events again this year, but chose to focus on just shot put and discus. She is a heavy favorite to advance to the outdoor national championships in the shot put for a third time, entering the meet seeded No. 4. She is also seeded No. 41 in discus.
Gustafson qualified for the outdoor national championships in the shot put in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, she finished 24th at the meet and followed that up with a 15th place finish last year. During the indoor track and field season, she has qualified two more times to the national championships, placing 10th in 2018 and then most recently finishing seventh back in March.
Redshirt sophomore Kaila Butler, who recently earned a spot on Team Canada for the World University Games, will compete as the No. 11 seed in the hammer throw.
Redshirt freshman Zaresha Neal qualified for the regional meet in two events – the discus and shot put. She is the No. 26 seed in the discus and the No. 32 seed in the shot put.
Finally, junior Chasatea Brown became the first BGSU hurdler to qualify for regional competition since Brittany Sinclair in 2015. Brown is the No. 40 seed in the 400 hurdles after breaking the 60 second barrier for the first time at the MAC Championships a week ago.
Under eighth-year coach Lou Snelling, the Falcons have sent 26 representatives to the regionals in the past seven years. Student-athletes have equaled or better their seeds in 23 of those 26 appearances (88 percent).
THURSDAY, MAY 23
4:00 pm – Hammer throw (Kaila Butler)
4:30 pm – 400 Hurdles First Round (Chasatea Brown)
FRIDAY, MAY 24
12:00 pm – Discus (Zaresha Neal, Aliyah Gustafson)
7:00 pm – 400 Hurdles Quarterfinals (Chasatea Brown)
SATURDAY, MAY 25
5:15 pm – Shot put (Aliyah Gustafson, Zaresha Neal)
ALIYAH GUSTAFSON
Aliyah Gustafson is concluding one of the most impressive careers in BGSU Track and Field history over the course of the next month, breaking the school record in the shot put multiple times and ranking second in program history in both the hammer throw and discus. She has won six MAC Championships total (three in shot put during outdoor season, two in shot put during indoor, one in weight throw during indoor) and was a first-team All-American in the shot put during the 2019 indoor season.HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
SHOT PUT
In the East region preliminary round, the shot put will be broken up into four flights of 12 competitors (top 12 in flight four, seeds 13-24 in flight three, seeds 25-36 in flight two, seeds 37-48 in flight one). Flights one and two will compete simultaneously on separate, but similar, competition venues, followed by flights three and four doing the same. Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
DISCUS
In the East region preliminary round, the discus will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
GUSTAFSON'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
Shot put – 2016, 12th place (53-0.75 / 16.17m)
Shot put – 2017, 39th place (48-0 / 14.63m)
Shot put – 2018, 3rd place (57-2.75 / 17.44m)
Discus – 2018, 35th place (154-4 / 47.04m)
Hammer – 2018, 13th place (197-5 / 60.19m)
NUMBERS TO KNOW
SHOT PUT
Date/Time of Competition – Saturday, May 25 / 5:15 pm
Gustafson's Seed - 4
Gustafson's Season-Best Mark – 56-7.5 / 17.26m
Gustafson's Career-Best Mark – 57-5.75 / 17.52m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 52-9.5 / 16.09m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 16.71m
DISCUS
Date/Time of Competition – Friday, May 24 / 12:00 pm
Gustafson's Seed - 41
Gustafson's Season-Best Mark – 164-6 / 50.14m
Gustafson's Career-Best Mark – 171-11 / 52.42m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 167-1 / 50.92m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 54.71m
KAILA BUTLER
Redshirt sophomore Kaila Butler had a dominant year in the hammer throw, winning the MAC Championship in impressive fashion and being ranked among the top 20 in the country throughout the entirety of the season. Despite making her first NCAA Regional appearance, she will be a favorite to advance through Jacksonville to the NCAA National Championships.HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
HAMMER THROW
In the East region preliminary round, the hammer throw will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
BUTLER'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Date/Time of Competition – Thursday, May 23 / 4:00 pm
Butler's Seed - 11
Butler's Career and Season-Best Mark – 213-0 / 64.92m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 198-3 / 60.42m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 64.53m
ZARESHA NEAL
Redshirt freshman Zaresha Neal had an impressive first outdoor season in 2019, placing fourth in discus and fifth in shot put at the MAC Championships. She will make her first NCAA regional appearance, competing in two events.HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
DISCUS
In the East region preliminary round, the discus will be broken up into three flights of 16 competitors (top 16 in flight three, seeds 17-32 in flight two, seeds 33-48 in flight one). Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
SHOT PUT
In the East region preliminary round, the shot put will be broken up into four flights of 12 competitors (top 12 in flight four, seeds 13-24 in flight three, seeds 25-36 in flight two, seeds 37-48 in flight one). Flights one and two will compete simultaneously on separate, but similar, competition venues, followed by flights three and four doing the same. Each of the 48 student-athletes will get three throws and the top 12 will advance to the NCAA National Championships.
NEAL'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
DISCUS
Date/Time of Competition – Friday, May 24 / 12:00 pm
Neal's Seed - 26
Neal's Career and Season-Best Mark – 171-4 / 52.23m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 167-1 / 50.92m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 54.71m
SHOT PUT
Date/Time of Competition – Saturday, May 25 / 5:15 pm
Neal's Seed - 32
Neal's Career and Season-Best Mark – 51-7 / 15.72m
2018 National Qualifying Mark – 52-9.5 / 16.09m
2019 No. 12 Seed Mark – 16.71m
CHASATEA BROWN
Junior Chasatea Brown broke the 60-second barrier in the 400 hurdles for the first time in her career during the finals of the event at the MAC Championships to place fourth overall. With that time, she earned qualification to the NCAA regional. She is the second-fastest Falcon in program history in the event and will make her first regional appearance.HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
400 HURDLES
The field of 48 will be broken up into six heats of eight competitors each. The top three in each heat, plus the next six fastest times will narrow the field to 24 for the quarterfinals – also to be contested at regionals. The remaining field of 24 will be broken into three heats of eight competitors each and the top three finishers in each heat, plus the next three fastest times, will move on to the NCAA National Championships.
BROWN'S NCAA REGIONAL HISTORY
First Appearance
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Date/Time of First Round – Thursday, May 23 / 4:30 pm
Date/Time of Quarterfinals – Friday, May 24 / 7:00 pm
Brown's Seed - 40
Brown's Career and Season-Best Time – 59.73
2018 Quarterfinal Qualifying Time – 58.70
2018 National Qualifying Time – 57.52
2019 No. 12 Seed Time – 57.87
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